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Brought my amp to get an overall service at a new tech (new to me, they seem to be well regarded in Chicago). Left it with them for a couple weeks, got the call today that is was ready and was sounding good. Brought it home and turned it on, the 5a fuse blew immediately. Does not bode well.

Owen wrote: Tue Jan 03, 2023 5:54 pm Brought my amp to get an overall service at a new tech (new to me, they seem to be well regarded in Chicago). Left it with them for a couple weeks, got the call today that is was ready and was sounding good. Brought it home and turned it on, the 5a fuse blew immediately. Does not bode well.

Take it back!

It could be that they overlooked a problem or thought something didnt need fixing, but a measure of their goodness will be how well they deal with the return.

Owen wrote: Tue Jan 03, 2023 5:54 pm Brought my amp to get an overall service at a new tech (new to me, they seem to be well regarded in Chicago). Left it with them for a couple weeks, got the call today that is was ready and was sounding good. Brought it home and turned it on, the 5a fuse blew immediately. Does not bode well.

If it is your Orange, the panel is marked 3A/5A. So make sure the fuse itself says 5A. The 5A is for US votage and the 3A is for Europe. It'll blow 3A fuses here all day. I cannot for the life of me remember whether it is slo blo or not.

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:37 am

Owen wrote: Tue Jan 03, 2023 5:54 pm Brought my amp to get an overall service at a new tech (new to me, they seem to be well regarded in Chicago). Left it with them for a couple weeks, got the call today that is was ready and was sounding good. Brought it home and turned it on, the 5a fuse blew immediately. Does not bode well.

Take it back!

It could be that they overlooked a problem or thought something didnt need fixing, but a measure of their goodness will be how well they deal with the return.

Yeah I am bringing it back today. When I picked it up yesterday they said their work was covered for 90 days, so I am hopeful they are going to take care of it. My tech retired who I really trusted and liked, so this was my first tech visit to someone new in 15 years and was bummed it failed immediately when I got home.

tommy wrote:

Owen wrote: Tue Jan 03, 2023 5:54 pm Brought my amp to get an overall service at a new tech (new to me, they seem to be well regarded in Chicago). Left it with them for a couple weeks, got the call today that is was ready and was sounding good. Brought it home and turned it on, the 5a fuse blew immediately. Does not bode well.

If it is your Orange, the panel is marked 3A/5A. So make sure the fuse itself says 5A. The 5A is for US votage and the 3A is for Europe. It'll blow 3A fuses here all day. I cannot for the life of me remember whether it is slo blo or not.

Yup its the Orange, I double checked that the fuse is indeed a 5A.

Owen wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 9:11 am Yeah I am bringing it back today. When I picked it up yesterday they said their work was covered for 90 days, so I am hopeful they are going to take care of it. My tech retired who I really trusted and liked, so this was my first tech visit to someone new in 15 years and was bummed it failed immediately when I got home.

Curious who you used that retired. Sadly I don't have a current recommendation for amp tech. No idea where I'd take something these days. I used to use Tim Schroeder when he had his shop over where Redmoon Theater was off Grand. That was the only place I trusted after many bad experiences pretty much everywhere. He moved way in the northern suburbs though. He had an understudy Brian who worked at his shop for a couple of years before switching to CME and was still there pre-COVID. No idea if he still is but he did decent, clean work.

tommy wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 8:48 am I cannot for the life of me remember whether it is slo blo or not.

Slo Blo. I've never seen a tube amp that uses fast blow. When you turn on an amp or initially take it off standby there's a sudden inrush of current well over the fuse rating (5A, in this case). This calms down rather quickly, though, and isnt up for long enough to damage anything. A fast low fuse would pop every time you turn on an amp.

tommy wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 9:19 am

Owen wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 9:11 am Yeah I am bringing it back today. When I picked it up yesterday they said their work was covered for 90 days, so I am hopeful they are going to take care of it. My tech retired who I really trusted and liked, so this was my first tech visit to someone new in 15 years and was bummed it failed immediately when I got home.

Curious who you used that retired. Sadly I don't have a current recommendation for amp tech. No idea where I'd take something these days. I used to use Tim Schroeder when he had his shop over where Redmoon Theater was off Grand. That was the only place I trusted after many bad experiences pretty much everywhere. He moved way in the northern suburbs though. He had an understudy Brian who worked at his shop for a couple of years before switching to CME and was still there pre-COVID. No idea if he still is but he did decent, clean work.

Pat McKeever who used to work at Chicago Fretworks, he "retired" but let me keep bringing my amp to him for simple upkeep, but then he fully retired.

I am dealing with Third Coast now, the only other place I have been told to try is Shake Shop.

Owen wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 9:49 am

tommy wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 9:19 am

Owen wrote: Wed Jan 04, 2023 9:11 am Yeah I am bringing it back today. When I picked it up yesterday they said their work was covered for 90 days, so I am hopeful they are going to take care of it. My tech retired who I really trusted and liked, so this was my first tech visit to someone new in 15 years and was bummed it failed immediately when I got home.

Curious who you used that retired. Sadly I don't have a current recommendation for amp tech. No idea where I'd take something these days. I used to use Tim Schroeder when he had his shop over where Redmoon Theater was off Grand. That was the only place I trusted after many bad experiences pretty much everywhere. He moved way in the northern suburbs though. He had an understudy Brian who worked at his shop for a couple of years before switching to CME and was still there pre-COVID. No idea if he still is but he did decent, clean work.

Pat McKeever who used to work at Chicago Fretworks, he "retired" but let me keep bringing my amp to him for simple upkeep, but then he fully retired.

I am dealing with Third Coast now, the only other place I have been told to try is Shake Shop.

My friend Tom from the excellent band Negative Scanner owns Shake Shop. He's about the nicest, most honest dude I've ever known. He'd be the first place I'd take a bass as he used to be a neck guy at Lakland for many years. Never taken an amp to his shop so I can't comment. Another dude there works on amps.

Looks like Brian from CME now has his own shop. I haven't needed anything worked on since he was at Schroeders, but he's probably where I'll take an amp the next time I need something I can't do. http://www.carstensamplification.com/

I took the amp back to the tech. The tech was not in, but I spoke to the owner. He was apologetic, I know shit happens, and they seem like they are going to take care of it and fast track it for me. They didnt even try to place blame on me, which I have had happen at other places.

Sennheiser MD441. I got two of these recently for about $200 each. "Broken". One had the obvious problems of broken solder tab at capsule and hot wire disconnected from XLR. had to cut back plastic shroud on capsule to reveal more of the solder tab and added a 3/8" extension to the wire to get it there and re-soldered the XLR and that one's back in action.

The other...I think might be dead for real. I just get a constant buzz and handling noise from it, all internal connections look good as far as I can tell. Even pulled out the filter board from the lower tube and it looks good on initial inspection. I'm about to dig out the glue covering the screws that hold the capsule together and pull the diaphragm off to see if there's an obvious issue there, but I'm starting to think the diaphragm coil is shot altogether. We'll see.